Putting Bella Back Together
by spintheblackcircle
Summary: In Cannon - After Charlie is murderd by Victoria, Bella turns to alcohol and the gang down at La Push to comfort her.  The Cullens return to save Bella when Alice sees she will be next on Victoria's list.  But Bella may not be so eager for their help.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I do not own Twilight or it's characters.

This story takes place after Edward has left Bella. Charlie was murderd by Victoria and Bella turns to alcohol and the gang down at La Push to comfort her. The Cullens return to save Bella when Alice sees she will be next on Victoria's list. But Bella isn't so eager for their help and domineering ways.

**Putting Bella Back Together**

She won't come down for dinner, yet again.

We were all suffering. Ever since our family had left Forks things had been dismal. My son had the best intentions towards Bella. It was obvious to all of us how much he loved his mate. We had all respected and agreed with his reasoning to leave Bella in peace and safety with her father in Forks. Although we all loved her and would miss her terribly, it was for the best since we seemed to cause her more harm than good. None of us foresaw the damage this would cause Bella.

With Charlie gone it was now our responsibility to take care of her. To ensure that no one else would cause her harm. Including the harm she was causing herself. I didn't want to be harsh with her but something had to be done. She keep refusing to let any of us in. We had all seen her stubbornness before. So I knew it would take a lot of hard work to tear down the wall she had built up around herself. For both her sake and ours, this had to be done.

Edward, of course, was suffering the most. He tried so hard every day to lighten her spirits and earn her forgiveness. But she continued to deny him.

"Carlisle," Alice said in a shakey voice. "Something has to be done. If she continues on this path. I can see things will get worse."

Edward let out a weary sigh. He knew what my plan was to remedy the situation. His eyes lifted to mine, filled with heartache and sorrow.

"I will handle his Carlisle."

I walked over to him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Edward, this must be done and it is not your responsibility. I am Bella's father figure now, so I will give her the discipline she needs."

He slowly nodded his head and walked over to his piano and sat down, but did not play.

I glanced around the room at my family. By the looks on their faces we were all in agreement. This conversation with Bella was long overdue. I didn't want to be strict with her but her foul moods and reclusive behaviour had to be addressed. She kept pulling away from all of us. She wouldn't spend time with or talk to anyone in the family. She refused to eat the meals Esme prepared for her. We had all tried in our own way to make amends with her. To try and heal the holes we had created by leaving. I had tried time and time again to help her cope with the loss of Charlie, but she would shut down completely and go hide in Edward's room.

I nodded to them all. I turned around to slowly start climbing the stairs up to the third floor, at a human pace. I knocked loudly on Edward's door.

"GO AWAY!" Bella barked from the other side of the door.

"Bella, it's Carlisle. We must discuss your behaviour."

She was quiet on the other side of the door for a few seconds. Her heart rate began to increase. I heard shuffling as she lifted herself off of the bed Edward had bought her. Her soft footsteps moved over to the door. It opened with a click.

I looked down at her face. She was paler than normal, almost as pale as me. She had dark circles under her eyes from her lack of sleep. And it was clear that she had lost even more weight from her refusal to eat our food.

"Yes Carlisle," she said in a small whisper.

"Bella, let's sit down and talk."

She turned around and walked over to the bed. She sat down on the edge and nervously played with her fingers in her lap. She bent her head down to look at her fingers. Her long hair fell down covering her face.

I walked over to her and sat down beside her. I looked over at her but she continued to stare at her fingers. I started talking in a firm but loving voice.

"Bella, we must discuss your recent behaviour. I know things have been extremely diffcult for you the past several months."

She scoffed, letting out a large snort. I ignored it.

"Things cannot go on like this Bella. We are trying to help you heal from all of the loss and hurt you have endured from our families departure."

"I don't think I can heal," she said in a sad, low rush.

"You have to let us in Bella. You have to talk to us about how you're feeling."

"You all know how I'm feeling. It's easy enough to see. Even without using Jasper's talents."

I sighed. "Bella, you have to stop hiding up here in Edward's room. It will be a long hard journey but, you have to make an effort to cope with what's happened. You have to go on living."

She looked up at me. The look of sadness in her eyes was overwhelming.

"Carlisle," she said in a small voice. "I can't move on. Charlie was my father. What happened to him was my fault. I brought danger to his doorstep and he paid for it with his life."

"Charlie would want you to move on and be happy." When I said that her expression changed. First to hurt, then to anger.

With her voice still low she said, "Do you think it would make him happy that I was being cared for by a family of vampires? Who never allow me to leave the house, except to go to school, where I'm constantly under the supervision of three members of said family."

"Bella," I said, making my tone softer and more comforting. "We have to protect you. You are still in harm's way. Also, I do not approve of you spending time with negative influences. You are very impressionable right now, as you are trying to heal from your loss. I don't want anyone to take advantage of you."

She laughed out the words, "Bad influences." Then she cleared her throat and straightened her posture. The clear look of anger still present in her eyes.

"Carlisle those bad influences kept me alive when all of you abandoned me. If it wasn't for them I would have ended up like Charlie."

She turned her small frame away from me. Her body began to shake with anger. A feeling of calm washed over me. Bella stoppped shaking. I knew this must have been Jasper's influence from downstairs.

I took a deep breath.

"Bella, I didn't come here to argue with you. We all feel for your loss and want to help you overcome it. As your authority figure, it is my job to do that to the best of my abilities. As a result, there's going to be new guidelines for you to follow."

She spun her head around quickly to look at me. She folded her arms across her chest. "What guidelines?" she whispered. A look of worry in her eyes.

"Yes, guidelines." I continued, "You already know you cannot leave this house unsupervised because of the continued danger that Victoria poses. And you cannot go to La Push because of the incident with Paul and the state you came home in the last time you went to visit Jacob."

She suddenly cut in, "I told you Paul just lost his temper once. The scractch he left wasn't even that bad." I heard Edward let out a protective growl from downstairs. She continued on. "And I already promised I wouldn't drink again," she said in a hurry.

"I am not going to change my mind," I said. Then I cleared my throat and began again. "The new guidelines are an attempt to help you overcome your grief. We all desperately want to see you happy again, and learning to heal with the aid of your family is the best way to make that happen."

"Just tell me what you are going to force me to do Carlisle," a tone of defeat in her voice.

"You are only allowed in this room one hour before your bedtime. You will spend the rest of your time with the family. I will not allow you to hide up here anymore. You must eat all of your meals downstairs at the dining room table and you will thank Esme for preparing them. You will allow Edward to help you get caught up on all of the work you missed from your absence at school. I would like you to show an interest in the rest of the family in hopes that we will earn your forgiveness." I knew that these new rules were firm. But she need a little tough love so that she could start to heal.

"What if I don't comply with the guidelines?" she asked in an unattached voice.

"Then there will be some form of futher action taken ," I replied firmly.

"What kind of action?" she shot back.

"I do not know yet."

"Hmmmm," she scoffed. "Well, what choice do I have." Her eyes started to well up with tears. I felt Jasper's calming influence again, but it was to no avail. She began crying harder. "Stop it Jasper," she screamed out. I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her .

"Bella, I..."

She pushed my hand off of her shoulder. "Stop it Carlilse," she sobbed out.

I sighed and stood up from the bed. "I'm sorry. Hopefully in time you can forgive me for this. I feel this is necessary to aid you in your recovery. I will see you downstairs in twenty minutes. Esme has made a nice meal for you."

She started crawling up the bed. Her sobs still racking her body. She curled up into a little ball in the middle of the bed.

I didn't know how to comfort her. So I simple whispered, "I'm sorry," and turned to leave. I shut the door behind hide me and descended the stairs. Edward began to play the paino in an attempt to comfort Bella. It was the only way he could at this point. My heart broke for my son. You could almost feel the pain and longing in each note that lingered in the air. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I looked at my family, wondering what would become of all of us.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: I don't own Twilight or it's characters.

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed this story.

Also, I plan on updating this story once a week, on Thursdays.

Thanks again.

Putting Bella Back Together

Chapter 2

It was the middle of March when they returned. The sky was cloudy. A light mist of rain hung in the air.

When I woke up in my bed my head was hazy. Thoughts of grief quickly consumed my mind. It had been one month since Charlie's funeral, one month since I had seen my father dead. I slowly stumbled out of bed wiping the silent tears from my eyes.

Not bothering to make my bed, I dragged myself down the hallway to the bathroom. I switched on the light and squinted my eyes from the brightness. I walked over to the shower and turned on the hot water, waiting for it to give me a sense of comfort.

_Wait Bella, you don't deserve comfort. Not with Charlie gone. _

I turned off the hot water and forced myself to stand under the freezing cold water. Even though I was punishing myself it in no way absolved me of the guilt I felt in being responsible for Charlie's death. It served as a reminder of the pain I should be forced to suffer for what I had done. When I finished I turned off the water and wrapped a towel around myself. I walked back to my room and threw on a light v-neck sweater and a pair of jeans. I pulled my wet tangled hair up into a pony tail. Then I went down the stairs and into Charlie's little kitchen. I hadn't eaten in a couple of days. So even though my stomach lurched at the thought of eating, I knew it had to be done.

I took a deep breath and looked around the small kitchen where I used to cook for Charlie. I just couldn't bring myself to use this kitchen anymore. When I did manage to eat something it was microwave dinners and pre-packaged junk food. This room contained too many good memories of Charlie, memories that I didn't deserve. That's why I avoided it whenever possible.

The kitchen (and much of the rest of the house) didn't look like it used too. Unwashed dishes sat in the sink, beer bottles lined the countertops and table, and empty chip bags lay on the ground.

Charlie would have been very disappointed to see his house so poorly looked after. But I just didn't have it in me anymore. I had no reason to pretend that I was happy. After the Cullens and_ him_. left I was heartbroken. But I managed to pull myself together enough on the outside to fool Charlie into thinking I was coping, so that he would not see my pain. But now that he was gone there was no reason to keep up the pretense of happiness. I was so broken in my heart, mind and soul. I had thought the pain of losing the Cullens and _him_ was more then anyone could handle. I was so wrong. Adding the loss of Charlie had increased my pain a million times.

_No Bella, stop saying you "lost" him. Call it what it is - he was murdered because of your stupidity and selfishness._

_STOP IT, STOP IT!_

I brought my hand to my forehead and started hitting myself.

This is why I started drinking. To push that voice out of my head. The voice that never gave me a moment's peace. Not that I deserved a break from it. But I did need one, even if it was just for a few hours. Drinking always numbed the pain.

I looked through the kitchen cupboards for something to eat, but found nothing. More importantly, I was out of beer. I walked to the front door and grabbed Charlie's old plaid, wool-lined coat off of the coat rack. It still smelled like him, stale beer and salt water. I put on my hiking boats without doing up the laces. I opened the front door and stepped outside. I jumped into the cab of my old chevy pick-up and drove down to J and P Produce.

Very few things at the market appealed to me. I bought Pop tarts, several differnt frozen meals, chips, ice cream, Lucky Charms and beer. After I paid for my food I put the groceries in the back of my pick-up and started for home.

When I pulled up to Charlie's house I felt uneasy. A shiver ran through my body. I parked on the front lawn and walked around to the back of my truck to collect the groceries. As I lifted the first bag a gentle, cold, pale feminine hand covered my own from behind.

_Fuck, Victoria_.

I shut my eyes and began shaking with fear.

"Bella," a beautiful soft voice said.

I spun around.

"Alice."

We were both quiet; we stared into each other's eyes. Tears started to run down my cheeks. Alice lifted her hand to catch one of my tears. I took a deep breath and inhaled her wonderful scent. I couldn't believe this. I must be having some sort of mental breakdown. That's when I felt the joy of seeing her start to melt away. A new emotion started building in my system. It started bubbling up towards the surface. It filled my entire body.

"What are _you_ doing here? You have no right to be here on Charlie's property," I spit out through gritted teeth.

God I was angry, for the first time in my life, I was angry.

Alice took a step back from me. She looked me over, examining me.

"Bella, we've come back to protect you. I had a vision of Victoria and you..."

I cut her off. She didn't finish her sentence.

"You saw a vision of me and Victoria and came back to protect me, really? What about Charlie, did you not have a vision about him? Or was he not worth coming back for?"

"Oh god Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't see it at the time. He told me not to look and I listened. We all agreed we should leave you in peace. But, then one day I saw Victoria taking you from your house in the night and carrying you off into the woods and then everything went black. I told the others and we all knew we had to come back. Then on our way home I kept looking into your future, to get a better sense of what we were up against. I knew something had happened to Charlie because he wasn't there in your future. I also saw you being very self destructive. Charlie never would have allowed you to behave like that. So I knew something must have happened to him, " she said in a rush.

"What do you mean he told you not to look?"

"He thought it was for the best Bella, we all did. We could see the danger we were putting you in. So Edward said we should all leave. So that you could live a normal life."

I let out a loud, crazy sounding laugh.

"Oh Alice, he didn't leave to protect me. He left because he doesn't love me. And I can't say I blame him."

She shook her head from side to side. "No Bella, he loves you. You're his other half. Us leaving was to keep you safe. I'm so sorry everything turned out wrong. None of us thought Victoria was such a threat. I can't believe Charlie is gone."

We both looked at each other again, in silence.

"How long are you here for? Is it just untill you kill Victoria? Is _he_ here?"

"We would all like to stay permanently. We all missed you terribly. We would like to help you overcome what's happened. When I saw what you were doing to yourself, I told the rest of the family and Esme said she would like you to live with us. So that we can take care of you."

She paused for a moment to clear her throat and then continued.

"Edward is not here, yet. He was living separately from the rest of the family. But he will be here early tomorrow morning."

My mind had frozen; Edward was coming back? I knew this information should make me thrilled. But it didn't. How could that be? I still loved him with my whole heart. He was everything to me. All I could feel was the pain of grief and heartbreak. And I didn't want any of them to come back to Forks because they pitied me. The poor, weak human who can't fend for herself. The anger in me stated to bubble up to the surface again.

"Alice, it's very kind of all of you to be concerned about me. But I already have the werewolf pack looking out for me."

"Bella, werewolves are not safe to be around. They could turn dangerous at any moment. We will keep you much safer," she replied.

"You've been doing such a good job so far haven't you?" I shot back.

"I saw there was a distinct possibility that you would be difficult like this." The tone of her voice had changed. She sounded stern and serious. "That's why I brought backup." I had never seen that look in her eyes before.

"Backup?" I whispered, backing away from her.

"We love you and want to keep you safe. You have no idea how dangerous werewolves can be. And your drinking and skipping school must end Bella. You are on a dangerous path. We are all in agreement that our guidance is what you need."

I had never heard Alice talk with such authority before. I turned around and made a sprint for the front door. Then I ran into something as hard as stone. I looked up to see Emmett looking down at me. A small smile playing on his lips. His arms of steel grabbed on to mine, locking me in place.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" I screamed

"Bella, I told you, you are coming home with us," Alice said from behind me.

Emmett picked me up bridal style. He started running towards the woods at vampire speed, to take me to the Cullen's home.

That's how I ended up here. Living in Edward's room. It had been two months since I came to live with them. I knew they meant well. They wanted to protect me. But I couldn't take their controlling behaviour. And now I had to live with Carlisle imposing even more "guidelines" for me to follow. I couldn't live like this. I felt trapped. They were leaving me with no room for movement.

I knew I had no choice but to comply with the new guidelines. I couldn't escape from a family of vampires. I had tried once and it didn't go well.

I continued to cry on the bed until my twenty minutes were over. Then I slowly lifted myself from the bed. I walked over to the door and opened it. I stepped out into the hall. I heard Edward playing his piano downstairs in the living room. I went over to the stairs and stood at the top while I passively accepted my fate, that I was a prisoner in the Cullens' home. Then I began to decend the stairs.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I do not own Twilight or any of it's charcters.

Hello, my lovely readers. I thought I would treat all of you to a new chapter since my two little ones and I are sick with a wicked cold and we're stuck in the house. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 3

I hated this.

The plush carpet under my feet lulled me into a false sense of security as I took my time walking down to the main floor.

God, I hope they won't all be down there acting like I didn't just get reprimanded like a child. Stupid vampires and their stupid super hearing. I wanted to run away from here and hide. I was so embarrassed.

I was on the second floor now; one more flight of stairs to go.

I wasn't going to look at any of them. I was just going to keep my head down and ignore them. If they were going to treat me like a child then I was going to behave like one.

_You can't see me, I can't see you. That's sound logic, right?_

As I began down the last set of stairs, Edward changed the song on the piano. He began to play my lullaby. My heart rate picked up. I knew I was in their line of vision now. I keep my eyes firmly on the ground. I could feel a red blush cover my face. Stupid red blush always giving away my insecurities.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Good evening Bella. We are all happy to see you. Please come to the kitchen and have a bite to eat."

_So it was going to be like that was it. We were all suppose to pretend nothing had happpen. _

I remained with my eyes cast downward. I had reached the last step and was standing in the living room. Edward continued to play my lullaby. I didn't know if I was being paranoid, but I thought that I could feel all of their eyes on me.

I could hear Carlisle walk over to the kitchen. I guess that was my cue to follow him. I started trailing behind.

When I got to the kitchen the smell of roasted chicken filled the air. I had to admit it did smell delicious. Of course everything Esme cooked smelled and tasted wonderful. But, even if it did taste wonderful I didn't want to eat it.

My appetite had seriously gone downhill since Charlie's death for a few reasons. One, food always reminded me of cooking for Charlie. Two, I felt like I didn't have the right to enjoy food anymore. If Charlie wasn't able to enjoy food then I shouldn't either. Three, eating was one of the few things I had control over. The Cullens had not manage to force me to eat the food Esme cooked. Until now that is.

I pulled out the chair that had a place setting and a glass of water in front of it. Their kitchen table was an extremely large wooden antique table. The legs of the chair scraped the ground and I sat down with a thump.

Esme suddenly breezed into the room, her long, flowing skirt trailing behind her.

"Hello, Bella. You look lovely," she cooed.

_Yeah, right._

She glided over to Carlisle's side. He was standing by the stove.

"I'll put a plate of food together for you dear," she said with a charming smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Thank you," I said.

Carlisle walked over to me and sat down at the chair across from me.

"Bella, after dinner Edward will help you with some of the homework you missed when you were away from school."

_Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr._

I growled internally. If everyone else in this house did, I might as well too. My frustration with this annoyingly helpful, controlling family was growing by leaps and bounds. But, as I learned in the past few months there was no point in fighting them.

"Thank you," I said. My voice was becoming strained from trying to keep my emotions at bay.

Esme walked over to the table and gently set a plate down in front of me.

"Here you are dear. May I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you." I knew she was willing me to look at her. But I couldn't do it. The food looked amazing. It was roast chicken with homemade biscuits and green beans.

_Damn them._

"Would you like us to sit with you while you eat dear?" Esme asked in a honey sweet voice.

"No, thank you."

"Well, enjoy your meal Bella. I want you to eat all of it. I will tell Edward to join you in thirty minutes," Carlisle said in a commanding voice. He pushed his chair back from the table. He and Esme left the kitchen.

I stared down at my food and took a bite of the biscuit. It was heaven. I continued to eat Well, I thought, _Bella, what are you going to do now?_

_I have no clue. _

I was stuck here. Maybe I should go and stay with Renee and Phil for awhile. She did want me to move to Jacksonville with them after Charlie died. But, I wanted to be alone. I was also afraid Victoria would follow me and kill both of them. I couldn't take that risk.

I also tried to convince the Cullens to let me move in with Jake and Billy. But they wouldn't hear of it. Especially since the one time I was given permission to see Jake ended with me being a very drunk Bella who needed to be rushed to the hospital after falling and hitting my head. Of course, Carlisle was working that night and saw the whole train wreck. It hadn't been Jakes fault but the Cullens blamed him anyway.

My last option was trying to run away again. The problem was if I planned anything Alice would see it and stop me. And if I did it on the spur of the moment they would just track me down and catch me, like last time. I began to smile when I thought about my escape attempt. Edward may have caught me and brought me back here, but at least I stood my ground.

On the day I ran away, I had been living at the Cullens for just over two weeks. The first week I lived with them was spring break, so I didn't have school. The second week they let me stay home to allow me to adjust to living with them. At the start of the third week, Carlisle had gotten a call from the principal Mr. Greene, who told him that I hadn't attended school since Charlie's death a month and a half ago. Carlisle and Edward were very disappointed that I hadn't told them about my absence. Mr. Greene stated that he wanted to meet with Carlisle, Esme and me before I was allowed back into the school. Edward insisted that he be present at the meeting as well.

So on Tuesday morning we all piled into Carlisle's black Mercedes and headed to Forks High. Edward and I were in the backseat together. Edward sat with both of his hands resting on his thighs. He lifted the hand that was closest to me and and reached over to me. He gently captured my hand in his. I gasped from the surprise of his actions and looked into his eyes. We sat there silently with our eyes locked together the whole ride.

When we walked into Mr. Greene's office, he greeted us and offered Esme and me the seats across from his desk. Carlisle and Edward stood behind us. After we sat down Mr. Greene cleared his throat and began speaking.

"Well, it's good to see you again, Miss Swan," he said, looking at me intently. He shifted his gaze up to Carlisle. "I am also pleased to see your lovely family return to Forks. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. I understand that you are taking care of Miss Swan for the time being."

"Thank you and yes, that is correct," Carlisle replied.

"I think that's an excellent idea. Miss Swan has been through a lot in the past few months and needs a stable home to live in. I am sure you and your lovely wife can provide Miss Swan with what she needs."

"Mr. Greene, our whole family is dedicated to helping Bella."

"Wonderful. As her caretaker, I must let you know that Miss Swan has missed a lot of school and will need help in catching up."

"I would love to help Bella out sir," Edward said in a quick rush.

"Splendid, . You are a fine student and I have no doubt you will be able to help her.

"Miss Swan I wanted you to know that there are guidance counsellors here that are trained in grief therapy. If you would like I could set you up with an appointment."

Carlisle suddenly cut in, "Thank you Mr. Greene but we will handle this within our family."

"Of course," Mr. Greene replied.

_What just happened? I thought he was talking to me not Carlisle. _

This was just another example of the Cullens domineering behaviour. In many ways I was happy to see them return. Of course I still loved them all, especially Edward. But the last few weeks I felt that the way they treated me had changed drastically. They seemed to all see me like an object that had to be kept locked up or I would break into a thousand pieces.

"Miss Swan...Miss Swan," Mr. Greene broke me out of my thoughts.

_Oh no, had he been talking to me?_

Everyone was looking at me. My face began to blush.

"I'm sorry Mr. Greene. What did you ask me?" I said in a small voice.

"Nevermind Miss Swan. Would you and Mr. Cullen please excuse Dr. and Mrs. Cullen and me for a moment?"

"Yes, of course," I answered. I stood up. Edward offered me his hand to guide me out the door and into the main office. I didn't except it. I heard Edward sigh as he closed the door behind us.

Mrs. Cope smiled at us as we entered the room. She offered us each a seat, but I needed some fresh air. Edward followed me outside.

We stood silently outside of the main doors. An awkward silence began to build. I was not going to be the one to break it. I was still angry about Carlisle answering for me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I started to shake with anger.

"Bella, love are you okay? You're shaking, are you cold? We can go inside," Edward said, his voice laced with concern.

I didn't answer him.

I kept thinking about their overbearing behaviour. _How dare they treat me this way. They all left me, including Edward. You don't love someone, promise them they mean the world to you, and then leave. Especially when there's a crazy pyscho killer vampire on the lose. You can't discard someone and then turn around and force them to live with you. And try to control your life like they know what is best for you. Plus, if they had stayed, Charlie would still be here. I wonder what Charlie would do if he were in my shoes right now. He would escape, that's what he would do._

"Love, are you okay? Can I get you anything?"

When I looked over at Edward his lips lifted into a brilliant smile.

"Yes, can you please get me something to drink? I'm very thirsty."

"Of course, love." He lifted his hand and ran his fingers along my jawline.

"Thank you," I said, smiling in return. He turned and went into the school.

_This was it - RUN!_

I took off through the parking lot. When I hit the main road I started running on the side of it. I knew if I cut through the woods Edward would be able to catch me with vampire speed. But, if I stayed in a public place he would be forced to stay at a human pace. I kept running at a grueling pace. That's when I heard a car pull up be side me.

_Fuck!_

"Hey Bella, is that you?" I turned around. It was Embry. He had his head hanging out of the driver's side window. Somebody else was driving, I couldn't see who.

"Hey, did the Cullen freaks actually let you out of your jail cell?" He said their name with a sneer.

"No, I escaped," I said in a frantic rush.

"Fuck, then get in the car. We'll hide you at the Rez."

I ran over to the car and hopped in quickly. I fumbled to get my seatbelt on.

"Good to see you haven't grown any fangs Bella." It was Paul; he was the driver.

"Very funny Paul," I laughed back at him.

As the car sped off down the road, I keep looking out the back windshield to see if Carlisle's car was there. So far we were home free.

Paul was driving like a mad man. We all knew we had a limited amount of time to get to the Rez. I was sure Alice would have seen my future by now and would have called Edward or Carlisle on their cell phones.

"Don't worry Bella the leeches won't catch us." Paul's voice was dripping with confidence.

"Yeah, we'll get you back to the Rez and we'll have a huge bonfire to celebrate," Embry added. He turned around to smile at me. His smile quickly faded when he looked over my shoulder.

"Fuck, Paul drive faster," Embry barked.

I turned around to see behind me.

_Shit!_

There was Carlisle's Mercedes. It was quickly gaining speed on Paul's ancient Beretta. In no time it surpassed us and came to a sliding stop in front of us.

"Embry, get out we have to phase." They jumped out of the car and phased in an instant. Embry ran over to stand with Paul.

Edward got out the driver's side of Carlisle's car and slammed the door.

And fuck, he looked mad. His whole body was seething with anger. He walked toward Embry and Paul. He stared down at them in disgust.

"Bella, get out of the damn car and come here, NOW!" Edward ordered.

I didn't know what to do. _Should I listen? _I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I opened the car door, undid my seltbelt and stepped out of the car. I walked around the back of the car and stood behind Paul and Embry.

"Bella, get into Carlisle's car. You are coming home with me. And Paul you better learn to control that disgusting mind of yours or I will do it for you."

I didn't move. I was frozen. Edward lifted his eyes to mine. They were black with anger.

"Bella, NOW!" I quickly obeyed and ran in front of Paul. Then I stopped. Maybe I shouldn't go with him so easily.

But Edward broke my train of thought by grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the car. Our backs were turned to the wolves.

Paul and Embry started growling.

"Shut up, dogs. You had no right to take her from me and my family. Why don't you go home to your friends and enjoy some dog food with the rest of the mutts," Edward spat out over his shoulder.

And that's when things went wrong.

I felt Edward turn around. He tried to pull me behind him to protect me but it was too late. Paul pounced so quickly I didn't even have a chance to turn around and see him. He pushed me down to the ground and I felt a sharp sting in my back. I screamed out in agony. It felt like something was shredding my back to pieces.

"No, Bella," Edward screamed. Then Paul was gone. I heard a rush of wind and a dog's whimpering cry. Next thing I knew Edward had scooped me up and layed me down in the backseat of the car. He got into the driver's seat as he raced to get me to Carlisle.

"Bella love, are you done eating?" I was snapped out of my memory by Edward. He was standing at the kitchen door, a stack of textbooks in his hands.

"Yes, I'm done," I said, still shaken up.

"Wonderful, then let's get started."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters.

Thanks for reading.

Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 4

We had been sitting at the kitchen table doing Calculus for over an hour. I could tell that Edward knew my attention had been wandering for a while now. The rest of the Cullens had gone out hunting. So Edward and I were home alone.

I never needed help with my school work. I had always been very studious. I never cut class and made sure all of my assignments were done on time. My grades always reflected my hard work.

But, none of that seemed to matter now. School was pointless. Why bother getting an education when life was falling apart all around me. Victoria was out there somewhere waiting for me. Charlie was gone. The Cullens wouldn't allow me to see my friends and they were treating like a child.

My relationship with Edward had become very strained. There was a large part of me that still thought Edward didn't love me. He swore up and down that he only left to protect me and that I was his soul mate (even though he didn't think he had a soul). I felt that he was saying these things out of guilt and obligation. I also didn't fully trust him and his family, not like I once did. And they didn't seem to trust me either.

They seemed to think I was a danger to myself. They seemed to think the grief and pain I was feeling could only be cured by them. They seemed to think they had all the answers.

All of these hardships had made me pull back from Edward and his family. Most days I would escape to Edward's room. I needed space from them. I wanted to suffer in silence and now with Carlisle's new rules I wouldn't be allowed to.

Carlisle told me I was suffering from depression. I knew I was depressed; I didn't need Carlisle's expert diagnoses to tell me that. They needed to learn that my pain and grief could not be taken away by being forced to spend time with them. They refused to give me a moment's peace.

What was a girl to do?

"What did you get for the next answer love?"

"Huh?"

I lifted my eyes from my paper and looked at Edward. He was staring at me with an expression I couldn't read.

"I asked you what your answer is."

_Crap!_

"Oh, ummmmmm...thirty two...?"

"Bella, we stopped studying Calculus twenty minutes ago and moved on to Spanish," he said while tapping his finger on the textbook.

_Crap!_

"Oh...sorry." I shuggered my shoulders and turned away from him. I started playing with my fingers.

Edward sighed deeply.

"Bella, have you been paying attention to anything we've been doing?" He asked in a fatherly voice.

"Yes, I have," I answered defensively.

"I think we should call it a day, Love." He started running his fingers slowly along my jawline and humming a tune I didn't recognize. I continued to stare at my fingers.

"How do you think you will do on your Calculus test tommorrow?" He asked.

"I don't know," I answered in a small voice.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't know," I answered in a big rush.

"I'm sure you'll do fine. Just try your best. It's getting late, Love. You should head upstairs to bed." He dropped his fingers from my face. He pushed back his chair and stood up. Then he offered me his hand.

_Did He just tell me to go to bed?_

I was not a child. I didn't need someone to tell me when I had to go to sleep.

I looked up at the clock on the microwave. It was 9:30 p.m. Edward and his family knew I hadn't been sleeping well, but 9:30? Come on.

"Edward, I'm not tried," I grumbled.

"It's late sweetheart. You have school in the morning and you haven't been sleeping well. It's time for bed." His voice was stern. He still stood there with his hand extended.

"I said I'm not tired."

"Bella, I have your best interests at heart. I love you and I am trying to take care of you." I could tell his patience was growing thin.

If I listened to him then I could go upstairs and be alone, in peace. That's probably what I should do. Plus, he was right, I was tried. But I wasn't going to give in. This was war!

I folded my arms across my chest. I turned my head and looked him in the eyes.

"Edward," I began, my voice filled with determination. "I am eighteen years old. I am a legal adult who can make her own descisions. I DECIDE WHEN I GO TO BED!"

He dropped his extended hand and took a few steps back. He ran his long pale fingers through his messy bronze hair and took a deep breath.

"I know how old you are my dear and I know you are legally an adult. But, that doesn't mean that you don't need someone to take care of you..."

"YOU AREN'T TAKING CARE OF ME! YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTROL ME!" I shrieked. I jumped up from my chair and began waving my arms around dramatically. He looked stunned. Then he raised his eyebrows. Like he was daring me to continue. I remained silent. Then he started talking.

"Isabelle, everything my family and I have done for you has been in your best interest. We are protecting you from Victoria and from your self-destructive behaviour. "

"There's a difference between protecting and smothering. I guess no one has explained that to you and your family."

"We are not trying to smother you. I'm sorry if spending time with people who love you is so horrible Isabelle. I assure you we only want the best for you."

"Huh!" I snorted and rolled my eyes.

Edward's nostrils flared in anger. His eyes turned black.

_Shit, he was mad._

"ISABELLE! It is extremely rude to roll your eyes. I know we all failed you in the past. We are all desperately trying to make that up to you. However, if you want us to take you seriously and to treat you like an adult, then you better start acting like one. It is obvious from your behaviour that you are over tired. It's time for bed."

He walked towards me, picked me up and slung me over his shoulder like a doll.

"PUT ME DOWN!" I wailed.

I started pounding on his back with my fists. Then he ran up the stairs and into his bedroom with vampire speed. I closed my eyes so I wouldn't get dizzy. He gently set me down on my feet and pulled me close to his chest. He then began speaking.

"I hate having to treat you like this, Love. I know you have suffered through far too much since you met me. I feel responsible for the pain and danger you are in and that's why it's my job to make sure you survive it all. I love you more than you'll ever know. You are my life, Bella." He kissed the top of my head and continued to hold me close.

I began to cry. I was frustrated, hurt, angry and confused all at once. It was emotional overload.

"Please don't cry, Love. I will protect you." He began patting my back.

He still didn't understand. I wasn't crying out of fear. I was crying for my father. I was crying for the loss of my freedom. I was crying because I had no one to turn to. I didn't know what to do anymore. The Cullens refused to listen to me. I had to admit defeat, again.

_Why did the Cullens always win?_

"I want to go to bed now," I said in between sobs.

"I will run you a nice, warm bath."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome my angel." He kissed the top of my head once more and walked into the bathroom connected to his room. I walked over to the bed and sat down. I pulled my knees up to my chest and continued to cry. After ten minutes had past Edward came back out of the bathroom.

"Your bath is ready, Love." He walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks," I whispered. My tears had finally stopped.

"Come, let's get you into the bath." Edward scooped me up off the bed and carried me to the bathroom.

"Enjoy your bath. I will be in my room reading. Call me if you need anything." He put me down on the floor and smiled at me. I nodded my head. He turned to leave and closed the door behind him. I turned to look at the bathtub. There were so many bubbles in the tub that they were spilling over the sides. He had lit candles and placed them around the room. Two soft fluffy-looking towels sat beside the bath.

I was still angry with him, but had to admit the bath did look inviting. I took off my old baggy sweats and slipped into the bath. The water was warm and soothing. I closed my eyes and tried to relax.

I couldn't understand why Edward was being such a control freak. He kept telling me he wanted me to open up to him, but that was almost impossible to do when he continued to try to control my every move. My feelings toward Edward had changed since he had returned. I was confused about our relationship and what my place was in it. Thinking about my perplexing situation with Edward reminded me of the day he returned to Forks.

After my argument with Alice outside Charlie's house and subsequent kidnapping by her and Emmett, Emmett refused to let me go until we reached the Cullen's house. Alice opened the door as he carried me inside. He walked into the living room where Esme was busy vacuuming. She shut off the machine when she saw us enter the room. Her eyes lit up with happiness as Emmett finally set me down on the floor.

"Bella, I can't tell you how happy I am to see you sweetheart!" She flowed over to me and enveloped me in a bear hug. The hug seemed to last for hours. I started squirming in her grasp, which eventually made her let go. She took a step back, her hands resting on my shoulders. She was still smiling as she looked me over. When she realized I wasn't going to speak, she began again.

"We were so worried about you, Bella. There wasn't a day that passed by when I didn't think about how much I missed you." Her smile began to falter when I started to frown.

"Bella, you're home." We all looked up to see Carlisle descending the stairs. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he proceeded over towards me. As he drew closer he extended his arms to embrace me. I pulled back quickly. He looked shocked by my reaction.

"Charlie's dead." Esme and Carlisle looked at each other, a silent conversation seeming to pass between them. Carlisle began to speak.

"We had thought from what Alice saw in her visions that might have been the case."

"We are so sorry Bella, we all failed you," Esme added. All of us stood there. Nobody spoke. The silence was becoming awkward.

"Bells, I haven't even said hello yet," Emmett said, breaking the silence with a friendly voice. He placed his hand on my shoulder from behind.

"Jasper and Rose wanted to be here to greet you as well. But Rose went to buy you some groceries and Jasper wanted to go hunting. You know, so that nothing bad happened again," Alice said. Her voice was apologetic.

The silence began again and all eyes were on me.

"I don't know what you all expect me to say?"

"Well, how are you feeling, Dear?" Esme asked.

_How was I feeling? They just brought me here by force and they ask me how I am feeling? _

"I feel like I want to go home," I replied in an acidic voice. I pushed Emmett's hand off my shoulder, turned around and started for the front door.

Carlisle cleared his voice and then spoke. "Bella, we would like you to stay with us."

I didn't answer. Instead, I continued towards the door. A gust of wind passed by me. Emmett was now standing in front of the door.

Carlisle continued to speak. "Bella, Alice has seen into your future. She sees you going down a dark and destructive path. We can't allow that to happen to you. All of us, including Edward, agree that action must be taken."

"So I'm stuck here," I concluded as I turned to look at him.

"I hope you will enjoy living with us. After all, you are part of the family; you are Edward's mate." Carlisle's voice sounded hopeful.

"If I was part of your family then why did all of you leave me? Doesn't family stick together? And besides, Edward told me he didn't love me, that I was not his mate."

"I told you he does love you. We all left because we thought we were putting you in danger by staying," Alice chimed in.

"I don't believe you," I replied.

"Bella, we all love you dearly, especially Edward. He had to live apart from us when we left Forks because he couldn't cope with being away from you." Esme spoke with such confidence in her voice.

"She's right, Bella. Edward's heart belongs to you. His plane arrives in Seattle at 2 o'clock tomorrow morning. I know that he would love it if you were there to meet him at the airport," Carlisle added.

"Are you going to force me go to there?" I asked.

Carlisle answered. "Well, since we have all decided to go and meet him and we don't want to leave you here on your own, yes you will have to go with us."

"Bells, you can ride with me. It'll be fun," Emmett boomed. He had a huge grin on his face.

I couldn't believe this. They brought me here against my will and now I was being forced to go and greet the man who broke my heart. My anger started bubbling over.

"I said I want to go home."

"Are you hungry? I could get you something to eat." Esme's voice was sunny and cheerful.

_What the ...? Can't they hear me?_

"I said, I want to go home!" I was beginning to cry out of frustration.

"Bella, I told you. We will be taking care of you. This will be your home," Carlisle replied. He seemed nervous.

"You mean you're going to force me to stay here." This wasn't a question.

"You need help, Dear," Esme said in a soft voice.

_Really, I am the one who needs help?_

"I can take care of myself."

"No, you can't Bella. I have seen your future," Alice responded.

"What other choice do I have then. You are all stronger and faster than me. So I guess there is nothing I can do."

"Oh, Dear, please don't look at it like that," Esme pleaded.

"Can I at least have some privacy well I am here?" I asked.

"Of course, you can. Edward wanted you to have his room. He felt you would be comfortable there. He bought you a beautiful bed to sleep in. He wants you to feel at home," Esme answered.

"I am going upstairs then." I marched upstairs with as much diginity as I could muster.

The time dragged by while I was waiting for us to go and get Edward. Esme came upstairs and asked if I was hungry a few times. I keep telling her no. For some reason I keep hoping that Edward would rescue me. He would tell his family to back off and let me go home.

We left to get Edward around eleven o'clock. It was a six hour trek to Seattle but with the way the Cullens drove we would get there ahead of time. I drove with Emmett and Rose on our way to Seattle. Rose barely said hello to me when I finally saw her. For some reason her indifference towards me made her my favorite Cullen. Jasper kept his distance but, gave me a friendly smile when our eyes met.

We arrived at the airport twenty minutes before Edward's flight was going to arrive. We all stood at the arrival gate waiting. The fluorescent lights in Sea Tac were too bright for my eyes.

I was finally going to see Edward. The gravity of the situation was making me feel sick to my stomach. He promised me I would never see him again. He told me he didn't want me anymore. But, his family kept telling me how much he loves me. I still couldn't believe it.

They announced the arrival of his flight. In just a few more minutes he would be here. I wondered what we would say to each other. Maybe he wouldn't say anything at all.

_Will he look the same?_

_Of course he will idiot, he's a vampire_.

Suddenly I felt the need to run. This was all too much to handle.

"There he is," Esme beamed.

I looked down at the white, shiny linoleum floor. All of the tension in the room made me want to melt into it.

I felt someone move towards me. Then I was pulled close by two strong arms. They wrapped around me and picked me up off the floor. I took a deep breath. Mmmmmm...Edward. He still had that most wonderful smell. Edward started nuzzling my neck. Then his velvety soft voice whispered.

" Oh my love, You are safe now. We will never let youu go."

I heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Bella, you've been in there for awhile. Are you all right?" Edward sounded a little panicked.

I noticed the bath water was cold and the skin on my fingers was all wrinkly. I had been in here for a long time.

"I'm okay. I'll be out in a moment," I replied.

I stepped out of the bath and dried off. Then I slipped on the bathrobe that hung on the back of the door.

When I stepped out of the bathroom I saw Edward waiting for me.

"I am just going to get changed."

"Of course, Love."

I walked into Edward's huge closet and grabbed a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. I closed the closet door and changed. I hung the robe on the back of the closet door and stepped back into Edward's bedroom. I walked over to the bed and laid down. Edward covered me up with blankets.

"Sleep well, my Love." He whispered into to my ear and kissed my cheek.

"Mmm. Yeah, thanks I guess," I responded.

He turned off the lights and left the room. After a few minutes passed, Edward started to play my lullaby on his piano downstairs in the living room. I think he though that the song still gave me comfort but it didn't. Nothing gave me comfort when it came to sleep. I thought the nightmares I had when Edward left were bad. They were a day in the park compared to the nightmares I had now. I closed my eyes and waited for my own private hall to take me.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I do not own Twilight. Thank you for reading and reviewing! Enjoy, hopefully!

It was dark. I couldn't see a thing. A strong cold wind was whipping through my hair, making me shiver. I could smell damp soil and hear drops of rain falling through trees. I felt like I was in a forest. My heart was beating fast, thundering in my chest. I felt an urgent need to find safety. I started to feel around. There seemed to be nothing there. I started walking slowly through the pitch blackness. My breath was coming out in heavy gasps. My foot hit something hard, causing me to trip. I fell on top of the hard object that I tripped over. Then I smelled that horrible rusty, salty smell. Blood. I pushed myself up and away from the hard object. Then I heard her soft whisper, "Bbbbeeeeeelllllllllllaaaaaaa..." It sounded like she was right beside my ear.

"Victoria!" I screamed.

I wanted to get up and run for my life. But, I couldn't. I was glued to the ground. I felt Victoria's presence floating around me. I closed my eyes waiting for her to strike. Her voice softly whispered to me again.

"You're next."

And then...nothing.

I couldn't feel her hovering over me anymore. She seemed to have disappeared. The forest was quiet, the rain stopped falling, and the harsh wind was still. I slowly opened my eyes. It was light out now. The forest was green and beautiful. I stood up and began to walk. Then I saw what I had fallen over in the dark.

Charlie!

His body was lying on the forest floor. He looked cold and lifeless. His plaid shirt was ripped open and there were deep gashes in his chest. I stood there staring at his body. My father was gone. I tried to scream but couldn't. I was frozen with fear.

Then someone was shaking me.

"Bella, Bella."

I sat up. I was in Edward's room. Tears were rolling down my face.

"Bella, love, are you alright? You were having a nightmare."

I looked over to see Edward sitting on the bed beside me. His voice was laced with concerned.

I cleared my throat and whispered, "Yes, I'm all right."

"Do you want to talk about it, sweetheart?" Edward lifted his hand and started rubbing my back.

"Um...no," I mumbled. Edward sighed.

I hadn't talked about these nightmares to anybody, except for Jake.

I had spent the two weeks after Charlie's death at Jake and Billy's house while we arranged the funeral. I felt safe there and it was nice to have someone around so I wasn't lonely. I suffered from insomnia for two nights and didn't sleep at all. I kept thinking about the horrible things that Victoria had probably done to Charlie. Jake always tried to reassure me that when he and the other pack members found Charlie he hadn't suffered too terribly. Jake was the type of person to always tell you the truth; he never sugar-coated anything. But, I knew that he was holding things back this time. In a way I was glad because who wants to know how their father was murdered. But his death had been my fault. I needed to know what Charlie had gone through. I deserved to suffer through what had happened to him.

On the third night Jake offered me a couple of beers to help calm me so I could fall asleep. And it actually worked. But that was the night the nightmares first started. They were always different but they all revolved around me seeing Charlie dead or dieing.

Jake would try to comfort me after I woke up. We'd go for a walk down by the beach, even if it was the earliest hours of the morning. Or he would tell me funny stories about the pack. I think that since Jake had lost his mother some years back he could relate to what I was going through. Jake never pressured me to open up to him. He would just let me be until I felt like sharing what I was thinking and feeling. Jake and Billy never forced me to eat or go to school either. They understood that this was what I needed right now. This was how I was grieving.

The Cullens didn't seem to understand this at all.

"It's 5:30. Do you want to try to sleep some more?" Edward asked.

"No, I slept longer than I usually do. I think I'll take a shower and then read or something."

"Okay, love." Edward stood up from the bed and went over to his leather sofa. He sat down and picked up the book he had left there.

"I will wait for you," he said when he saw me staring at him.

"Okay," I replied.

I dragged myself out of bed and took a shower. Since I didn't bring a change of clothes into the bathroom with me, I just put my sleeping attire back on when I was finished.

When I stepped out of the bathroom Edward was still sitting on the couch. He looked up at me and smiled.

"Hey," I mumbled.

Then I saw Edward's door fly open and a gust of wind blew into the room. Alice jumped onto Edward's bed.

_Oh god, she has a garment bag with her._

"Good morning Bella. I brought you an outfit to wear to school today," she chirped in a sing-song voice.

_How could she always be so hyper? _

"Oh goody," I said. My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Bella, please. I worked hard picking out this outfit especially for you." Her high-pitched voice was getting whiny.

"I think that's very nice of you Alice. But, you know that I don't care about what I wear."

"Well, if you don't care then you can wear this."

"You know that's not what I meant, Alice."

Edward interrupted, "Love, perhaps it would make you feel better if you tried wearing something a little different."

I had been fighting this battle since I had returned to school. Every morning Alice would try to make me dress in some **ridiculous** outfit. Edward had always backed me up, until today.

"So now I can't decide what I wear?" I said through gritted teeth.

"Bella, don't get angry. I'm trying to do something nice for you," Alice replied.

"Listen, I just want to wear something comfortable. Isn't that understandable?"

_"_Yes, and this is comfortable!_"_

I looked from Alice's hopeful face to Edward's smiling face.

_For the love of all that's holy_.

"Fine!" I said, and held out my arm so she could hand me the garment bag.

"Excellent!" Alice squealed. She handed me the bag and skipped out of the room.

_Freak._

"I guess I'll go get changed."

"Okay love, I'll go help Esme with your breakfast." Edward turned and left the room shutting the door behind him. I laid the garment bag down on the bed and slowly unzipped it, just imagining the horror that waited inside.

_Crap! It was pink!_

A dark pink, knit wrap-around dress stared up at me. I quickly changed and then pulled my hair up into a ponytail. I felt ridiculous. But, I had to admit it was comfortable. I put my dirty clothes into the hamper and headed downstairs.

After an awkward breakfast with the whole family seated around the dinning room table watching me eat, Edward, Alice, Jasper and I all piled into Edward's car and went to school.

Most days at school were uneventful. I had at least one of the Cullens in every class of mine; usually it was Edward. I paid little attention to the teacher and just kept to myself. My favourite part of the day was eating lunch with my human friends. It gave me a little break from the Cullens, even though they sat with me too.

Thinking about Jake this morning reminded me how much I missed all of my friends at La Push. I wanted to hang out with them and find out what was going on with the pack. I wanted to sit around a bonfire and roast hot dogs while I enjoyed a beer and a smoke.

_Was that so bad?_

I _had_ to get to La Push. I just didn't know how. Every time I tried to talk to Edward or Carlisle about wanting to visit my friends they refused to hear my argument. And every time Jake would call the Cullens' to see how I was and if I could visit him, the Cullens stood in the room with me making for a very short and awkward conversation.

_God, how I needed a break from the Cullens._

We pulled up to the school and all climbed out of the car. Edward frowned at me for opening my own door. We all walked into the school together. Alice and Jasper said goodbye as they walked to their class. With his hand supporting my lower back, Edward and I walked to calculus to write another test that I knew I would fail.

At lunch time we sat around the table listening to Mike and Ben tell us about the trip they took to the beach on the weekend. As lunch time was coming to an end, Alice and Jasper left to go to class. Edward and I both had a free period which we usually spent in the library studying.

Well, he studied. I though about Charlie.

Then Angela and Jess said they needed to go freshen up in the bathroom. I followed knowing that Edward would not be allowed to accompany us without looking like a bit of a pervert.

_Yes, five minutes of Cullen-free time_.

"I will wait for you at your locker," Edward said, giving my hand a light squeeze before letting me go.

The three of us walked to the bathroom. Angela pulled out some lip gloss and started to apply it to her lips.

"So, Bella," Jessica began. "What's with you and the Cullens lately?"

"Why?"

"Well, they seem like super-protective of you or something. Want a smoke?" she said, pulling a pack of cigarettes from her bag.

"Yes," I said, a bit too eager. Jessica and Angela giggled. She lit my cigarette and I took a long drag. "Yeah, the Cullens are too over-protective. They're kind of driving me crazy," I replied.

"I noticed that you all seemed inseparable," Angela chimed in.

"Hey, why don't we have a sleepover at my house on Friday?" Jessica asked. "It will give you a break from the Cullens."

"Yeah, sure," I said, taking another puff from my smoke. "That sounds great."

_It wasn't La Push, but it was a start._

The bell rang.

"Here, take a smoke for the road," Jessica said while handing me two cigarettes.

"Thanks!" I was a little surprised at the generosity she was showing me.

Jess and I put out our smokes and we all rushed to class.

Edward was waiting for me like he promised. His face broke into a smile when he saw me coming.

"There you are. Shall we go to the library?" he asked, taking my bag from me.

"Um...yah, sure."

Edward stopped smiling and stepped closer to me. He bent down and inhaled deeply. He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Have you been smoking?"

_Shit!_

"Jessica was. That's why I smell."

"I see," he said, eyeing me closely.

"Let's go to the library." My voice sounded nervous.

We walked to the library and took our usual table at the back. Edward set my bag down on the table in front of us. He walked over to pull my chair out then sat down as well. I opened my bag and started searching for my Jane Eyre novel. It must have been at the bottom. I finally felt it and pulled it out with a look of satisfaction on my face. Unfortunately, I pulled a little too hard and my pen, calculator and the cigarettes Jess gave me fell to the ground.

"I'll get that for you," Edward said bending down.

"No don't..."

"What are these?" Edward asked as he sat back up holding the cigarettes. His expression was not a happy one.

_Double shit!_

"Jess asked me to hold on to them for her," I said in a quick rush. I looked down at the table because I couldn't hold Edward's intense gaze. My cheeks started to blush from embarrassment.

"Bella, do you think I'm that gullible?" He sounded angry.

_Triple shit!_

"I don't know what you mean."

"I don't believe you Bella. These are yours. Why would you do this? I'm very disappointed in you." He sounded like a father scolding his child.

I was so sick of this. I wasn't his child. I didn't owe him any explanation. I lifted my head and looked into his eyes.

"Listen, I am old enough to make my own decisions. You and your family have no right to interfere with my life. I am sick of following your rules," I spat out. I stood up and started to run out of the library. I knew Edward would follow quickly behind. When I made it out into the empty hallway I could hear him calling my name from behind. All of a sudden, Alice and Jasper appeared at the far end of the hall. She must have seen our argument.

"Bella stop!" Alice called out. I felt an overwhelming sense of calm wash over me.

"Calm down Bella," Jasper said in a stoic voice. I fought as hard as I could against his emotional control.

I had no idea what I was doing. I just knew that this had to end. There was a door to exit the building halfway down on the right side of the hall. I ran as fast as I could and dashed out the door before they could grab me. I knew they would be right on my heels.

As soon as I got outside, I saw a flash of red about twenty feet away in the forest. It was Victoria. She began running towards me, her brilliant red hair blurred with her speed. Then I was flying through the air with her arm holding me tightly.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I do not own Twilight.

Thank you for reading and reviewing. I apologize for not answering the reviews from yesterday - I promise I will, but wanted to get another chapter up.

I was thinking of doing an outtake from Edward's and Jake's perspectives. Let me know if you would be interested.

Chapter 6

Everything was a blur. The scenery was passing by us so quickly. We must have been running through the forest as everything was a sea of green. Victoria was carrying me close to her cold chest. She had both of her arms wrapped around me like we were caught in an embrace. My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to explode. I was terrified of Victoria; she was a sick and twisted psychopath.

But, she was also freedom.

I heard a wolf howl in the distance. The pack must know she's here and the Cullens would be following us as well. I felt somebody coming up on Victoria's right side. I lifted my head to look over her shoulder. I could make out Edward's bronze hair. He was closing in on her quickly. Part of me wanted to be rescued but part of me wanted to be whisked away, away from Edward and his family. Victoria was sure to torture and kill me but at least my suffering would finally come to an end. I would finally be free from vampires. I wouldn't have nightmares and I wouldn't be controlled by anyone. Maybe I could even find Charlie and Grandma Swan if I died. I didn't want things to end like this but maybe it was for the best.

Suddenly Victoria came to a halt. She dropped me and I fell to the ground with a loud thump. I rolled down an incline past shrubs, rocks and trees with thick roots. The ground was damp and muddy. I could feel the rocks violently hitting my body. Branches cut into my face and legs as I rolled further down. I was stopped by a large tree; my body smacked into it with such force that I felt like I had just been hit by a truck.

"Ahhhh," I moaned. I brought my hands up to cradle my head to try to stop the dizzy feeling. I knew this was my best chance to escape from not only Victoria but the Cullens as well. I rolled over on to my stomach and pushed myself up off the forest floor. I was a mess, covered with mud. I had varies scratches and cuts covering my entire body. They were oozing blood. I looked up to the top of the incline; I had rolled about thirty or forty feet. I could hear what sounded like a fight coming from above. I was sure Edward and Victoria were locked into a deadly battle. Alice and Jasper would join him soon. I knew the Cullens would come out on top, they always did.

I started to stumble my way through the forest. I had no idea where I was so I didn't know what direction to head in. I was hoping the wolves would find me. They could take me back to La Push with them. I started to pick up my pace every muscle in my body protested. But I had to do this. I still loved Edward and his family but my freedom was more important. If they refused to listen to me, escape was my only choice. I came to another incline. I could hear water rushing from somewhere but couldn't see it through the thick tree cover. There must be a river at the bottom of the incline. I began working my way down towards the sound of the water. After about a minute I could see a river. I stumbled closer to it in a frantic rush. The river was flowing quickly, swelled from the approaching spring. I wasn't sure if I should follow alongside it or allow it to carry me down stream. If I got into the water I could get away much faster than by foot and the water would wash away my scent making me untraceable to the Cullens. Yes, this was the best choice. Really, I had nothing to lose at this point.

I took off my shoes and waded into the river. The sharp ice-cold sting of the river shocked me but I didn't have time to think about it because the river took hold of me immediately. It swept me away like a rag doll. I struggled to keep my head above water but I was losing the battle. The current keep pulling me under as I battled to find the surface to breathe. I manage to get in a few quick gasps of air before I was pulled under again. It felt like the water was claiming me against my will. It was smothering me just like the Cullens had.

My foot seemed to get caught on something in the river. It stopped me from continuing down stream. With the last of my remaining breath I swam down to free my foot, which had gotten tangled in a long throw-rope that was used for rafting and had gotten wrapped around some tree roots. I untangled my foot from the rope and then wrapped the rope around my right arm several times, hoping that it would give me enough slack to reach the surface and hold me in place until I could pull myself on to land. I swam up and greedily gulped in the fresh air. The rope was holding me in place but I didn't feel like it would last for long. I spotted a large log that was half on and half off the shore. I furiously paddled against the current to reach it with my left arm. When I got close I reached as far as I could and grabbed ahold of a branch. I let go of the rope and shook it off my arm. Then I pulled myself up on to the log.

I was exhausted. My throat burned from the lack of oxygen and the cold water that I had swallowed while struggling for air. I was soaked and most of my dress had been ripped off in the water. I pulled myself closer to land fighting to get my bare legs out of the water. I was so cold I couldn't feel my body.

I was now fully out of the water. I laid on my stomach, too tired to turn over. I was almost naked and covered with mud again.

I began to cry, wondering why I was fighting so hard for my life. I had brought death to my father's doorstep. The man I loved treated my like I was a child. His family controlled my every move. Even if I could go live my life the way I wanted to, the shadow of Charlie's death would hang over me. I couldn't live a normal life after suffering through so much. Tears racked my body and then my mind drifted to the day of Charlie's funeral.

It was the darkest day of my life. The whole town had come to pay their respects to Charlie. He had been a well-loved man. Funerals in Forks were usually held at the small funeral home in town. But since Charlie was the Chief of Police, everyone wanted to attend his funeral. So, we decided to have the funeral at the biggest church in Forks. The wolf pack, along with Billy, Sue, Harry, Emily and Phil, took up the first few rows of pews.

This was the final goodbye; the coffin was going to be closed. Jacob was standing on my left and Renee was on my right. Renee tightly grasped my hand and Jacob rubbed circles on my back. Renee and I were sobbing uncontrollably. My knees started to buckle when I took a step forward. Jake wrapped his arm around my back to support me. The clouds outside of the church must have parted as a stream of light shone through the stained glass window at the front of the church. The light became blurred when my eyes began welling up with tears once more. I lifted my free hand and wiped away the tears.

I looked up at Jake. He gave me a sad smile and whispered, "I hate that you have to go through this Bells." I nodded in response.

Then the three of us walked closer to Charlie's casket. Charlie was deathly pale but with his eyes closed he looked at peace. Renee had asked the funeral home to dress him in his police uniform; we both thought he would like that. The three of us looked down at him. None of us seemed to able to speak. I lowered myself onto my knees so I could be closer to him. I leaned into him and kissed his forehead and whispered, "I am so sorry. I will always love you daddy." As I pulled away from his face I noticed two puncture wounds on his neck. Victoria must have bitten him there before she drained him. I began to cry harder. I was beside myself with guilt and grief. I started to hyperventilate. Jake helped me stand, then walked me back to my seat.

I felt like I was floating, every nerve in my body was tingling. Then I felt something warm and wet nuzzle my neck; it was making a grunting noise. I groaned, not wanting to wake up. Then I was gently rolled over on to my back by two warm hands. I heard a deep voice say, "Fuck, she's freezing. She's got cuts and bruises everywhere. It's those filthy bloodsuckers' fault. Stay in wolf form Quil, so you can stay in contact with Sam and the others. The leeches are probably done with redhead by now and they'll be looking for Bells."

_I recognized that voice._

_Jacob!_

_He found me. _

I felt him pick me up and cradle me close.

"Let's get you to safety Bells," he mumbled into my ear. "You did a good job getting away from the leeches. I'm proud of you."

We started moving at a brisk pace. The movement made me feel sick to my stomach. I started to spit up.

"Shit, she's going to be sick Quil. We need to stop."

Jake sat me down on the ground while I threw up.

Then Quil started growling.

"Bells, we got to move, they're coming."

He scooped me up again and started running faster. I felt like I was going to be sick again but I tried to hold it down. Jake stopped moving again.

"Let her go, dog." It was Edward. He was standing a few feet in front of us. I closed my eyes. I wanted to pretend none of this was happening.

"I don't think so, leech. If you haven't noticed, she doesn't want to be anywhere near you," Jake spat out.

"I am her mate. I know what is best for her."

"You don't give a shit about what's best for her. Now move, she's hurt and needs help."

"I will not let you leave with her. She isn't safe with you."

"Are we going to argue about this right now Cullen? She's freezing. Now step aside. We can do this another time. And I would never hurt her."

Jake started walking. There was a long silence.

"How badly is Bella hurt? We should get her to Carlisle."

"I don't know how badly hurt she is."

"Please let me take a look. I've been to medical school."

Jake scoffed. "Back off Cullen. I don't trust you."

"Please Jacob." Edward was pleading with him.

"No, you've put her through too much. When she feels better, she will contact you. If she wants to, that is."

"But, I have to know if she's okay. May I come along with you?"

"Nah, I'll call you tonight Cullen and tell you how she is."

"Please take good care of her."

"Sure, sure. We don't have time for this. Talk to you later, leech."

Then we were off.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter may be a little confusing. Bella's mind is playing tricks on her. She is travelling back and forth in her mind from the present to re-living the past.**

**Thanks for reading and for the lovely reviews**.

Chapter 7

It was so cold.

My body just couldn't warm up. Even with the heat of Jake's body, I was still frozen. We ran for what seemed like an eternity. My mind was swaying in and out of conciousness.

"Bella, Bella. Can you hear me?" Jake's voice was laced with concern.

I could hear him but was unable to answer. I felt like my limbs were weighted down. My mind was in a haze.

So cold.

The cold reminded me of Edward. I once longed to have his cold, tight embraces. But now I wanted to scream when his arms were around me...

_All of a sudden, I was standing in the Cullen's living. _

_I was in Edward's tight embrace. _

_"How many times must I tell you, Bella? I love you with my whole being. You are everything to me. My days spent without you were the darkest days of my life. What can I do to prove that I love you. How can I make you smile again?"_

_"I need time to myself Edward. To grieve and think about what I want and need in my life."_

_"Why don't you go up into my room, love?"_

_"That's not what I meant."_

_"What did you mean then?"_

_"I meant I need my own space to think. I need to go home."_

_"This is your home. We are your family."_

_"Look Edward. I appeaciate that you and your family want to take care of me. But you've crosssed a line somewhere. You're not taking care of me, you're controlling me."_

_"You don't seem to grasp the danger you're in Bella. Victoria is out there. The wolves are unstable. Look at what Paul's done to your beautiful back. You have always had this laissez faire attitude about your safety Bella. And your judgement has been even worse since your father died. You are too precious to me...and my family. We would never allow anything to happen to you." _

_He was still holding me to his chest as I tried to push him away. He wouldn't let go. _

_"My judgment may be impaired Edward, but so is your's. I think the guilt you have over leaving me and Charlie unprotected has made you overcompensate and you're being too protective." I finally pulled myself away from him. He looked into my eyes with the most intense gaze._

_"You're right, I do feel horribly guilty. But, I am not being too controlling. Your safety is not up for debate." Edward's deep yellow eyes were still staring into mine. "I need to take care of you Bella." _

_"Edward it's all too much." I could feel tears starting to well up in my eyes._

_Edward sighed and ran his hand through his messy hair._

_"How can I make things right?" he said in a whisper..._

I was being shaken.

"Bella, Bella. It's Jake. Please wake up."

"Jake, man. Maybe you shouldn't be shaking her like that. What if you hurt her." I thought that was Paul's voice, but I wasn't sure...

_"Hey, want another beer, Bells?"_

_"Yeah, sure. Why not?"_

_Jake tossed me a can, then stood up and walked over to me. He sat down beside me. _

_"Hey, Bella. You look like you'd be a light weight. Don't over do it. You don't want Cullen to scold you," Paul laughed._

_"Yeah, thanks. I'll keep that in mind." _

_It was a beautiful night. All of the non-wolves had a blankets wrapped around them. Red and orange embers from the bonfire danced and floated in the air. The sky had just gotten dark and we were all sitting around the fire enjoying a couple of laughs. It smelled like burnt pine wood and you could hear the waves from the beach lapping at the shore about a half mile away. I could feel a smile on my face. I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled. I was on my third beer, I think. My head felt light and fuzzy, which was what I needed. An escape from everything for just a little while._

_"Hey, Paul. Speaking of light weights, wasn't it you that ended up hurling all over that chick? What was her name?" Jake said, a smile playing on his lips._

_"Jessica," I said. Paul sneared at me. "Hey, I'm just trying to be helpful," I added. _

_"Yeah. Jessica. You blew chunks all over her after just one beer. And now her and her friends call you Mount Vesuvius because they never know when you're going to blow." We all erupted into roars of laughter._

_The whole wolf pack and their significant others were gathered around the fire. The fire was so beautiful it should be making me warm. Why wasn't I warm? ..._

"Bella, I am Doctor Forbes. I come and help out on the reserve sometimes. How are you feeling?"

"Cooooollllld," I stuttered.

" Bella, are you hurt anywhere?" ...

_"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" _

_"Edward, try to hold her as still as possible. One of the wolf's claws is stuck in her wound." _

_I was laying on the backseat of Carlisle's car, face down on my stomach. Edward was in front of me croutched down on the seat. He was holding my arms down so I couldn't move. Carlisle was beside me, half on and half off the seat. Esme was in the front passenger seat whispering comforting words. _

_The pain was ripping through my body. God did it hurt! _

_"Bella, I'm going to give you an injection of painkillers." _

_I didn't care for needles but at this point I just wanted, needed the pain to go away._

_"Edward, it hurts," I choked out._

_"I know love. I'm going to kill that wolf."_

_"That's enough Edward," chided Carlisle._

_"How did this happen?" Carlisle asked, his voice laced with anger and frustration..._

"How did this happen, Jacob?" asked Dr. Forbes.

"She was running in the forest and fell into the river."

I was laying on the couch in Jake's living room. My body was painfully cold. Jake had put a stack of blankets on me. But it wasn't helping me get warm. I didn't know what was happening to me, to my thoughts. I couldn't tell what was reality and what wasn't.

"I think she had hypothermia. Her skin is turning blue, her pulse is weak, she's having trouble with her speech and she seems to be hallucinating. We must get her to the hospital, Jacob."

"Shit!" Jacob mumbled under his breath.

"Nnnnoooo. Carlisle will bbbeee thhherrre," I stuttered.

"I'll keep you safe, Bells."

"She has deep cuts on her right leg. We need to bandage them before we leave for the hospital. Jacob, go and get me a towel. I have the rest of the supplies in my bag."

"Of course, Doc." Jake ran down the hall.

"Okay Bella, I'm just going to clean your wounds."...

_"I think her wound is infected all ready. Wolves tend to have a lot of bacteria under their claws. Is the pain lessening Bella?"_

_I know Carlisle had given me the shot but for some reason the pain wouldn't stop._

_"Still hurts," I mumbled._

_"Please do something for her Carlisle!" Edward's voice was desperate._

_"I am almost done with cleaning the wound Edward. Then I will bandage her up and we will get her home."_

_"You're never seeing those wolves again, Bella. They're far too dangerous." _

_"Hush Edward. Don't upset her more," Esme cooed._

_Tears of pain and frustration started to stream down my face. Paul hadn't meant to attack me. He was only responding to Edward's insulting comments. God, how was I ever going to get free from the Cullens now!_

_"I'm done. Let's get her home. I'll drive. You stay in the back seat with Bells, Edward."_

_Carlisle climbed into the front seat and started the engine..._

For some reason, the ride was much bumpier than I remembered.

"Bells, we're almost to the hospital," Jake's voice whispered in my ear.

"Where am I?" My voice was raspy. My throat was so dry and sore.

"We're on our way to the hostipal. You almost drowned in the river. It looks like you have hypothermia."

Shit!

"What's the last thing you remember?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. Umm...Paul attacked me...before that you, me and the pack were at a bonfire...and before that I was arguing with Edward."

"What?"

"I don't know. Everything's a blur."

"We're here. I'll go get a stretcher," Dr. Forbes asked.

"Whose that?"

"That's Dr. Forbes. He was at his clinic on the rez. He came to help you."

"Oh."

I was lying on the backseat of some strange car with my head on Jake's lap. The car door near my head opened. Three men helped me out of the car and onto the strecther. I was wheeled towards the hospital's emergency entrance. I sat up, trying to see where Jake went. But I couldn't see him.

One of the men walking alongside my stretcher spoke as we went through the hospital's double doors. "I have an eighteen year-old female. Her pulse is weak and her core temperature is very low. She was found by a friend after she almost drowned in a river near La Push."

I heard footsteps coming towards me. A nurse. What was her name? She was here the last time I had been in. The night that I fell and hurt myself after having a few too many beers at a La Push bonfire. Jake had left to get me some water so I could sober up a bit before Edward met us at the treaty line. But he was taking so damn long to come back that I ventured off into the dark to find him. I'm not very good at walking in the dark at the best of times, let alone when I'd been drinking, so an accident was bound to happen.

The nurse smiled when she looked at my face.

"Ahh, it's Bella Swan. She's a regular here. Nice to see you Bella. Let's roll you down to Examination Room 1 and let Dr. Cullen have a look at you."

"What? No!"

**Ohh Don't worry my lovely readers. Carlisle will be good I promise. She will not be returning to the Cullen's house.**

**Bella is going to tell Carlisle exactly what he deserves in the next chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Twilight. But I do own a beautiful yellow Le Creuset Tea Kettle.

**Chapter 8**

This can't be happening. I worked so hard to get away from the Cullens and here I was about to be poked and prodded by Carlisle.

"Paging Dr. Cullen to Examine Room 1," a nurse announced over a loudspeaker.

_Crap!_

Where did Jake go? I thought he would protect me. Just my luck; I have a family of vampires that obsessively over-protects me and a werewolf that disappears when I need him most.

I was wheeled into the examine room by an orderly and two nurses. It looked like Dr. Forbes had disappeared too.

The room looked like the standard room I was used to. The walls and floors were white. Harsh fluorescent lights lit up the room in an unnatural way. And it smelled like bleach and vomit. There was a television hanging in the left corner of the room with a table underneath it.

I let out a heavy sigh.

I tried to bring myself up to a seated position. I thought it would give me more of an adult presence when Carlisle came into the room. Every muscle in my body protested; they were begging me to lie back down.

"Oh, Dearie, you need to lie down. Save your strength," cooed a middle-aged nurse.

I listened to her and lied back down.

She took my temperature and checked my blood pressure and wrote it down on my chart.

"Excuse me, would it be possible for me to see a different doctor?" I asked. My throat was so sore and scratchy it came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Oh, Dr. Cullen is a wonderful doctor. You're in very good hands." She winked at me and turned around as she began hooking me up to machines.

_What are you going to do now Bella? He's going to want to take you back to the Cullen house._

Tears started to pour out of my eyes.

"Dearie, please don't cry. Oh, here comes the doctor now. Good afternoon Dr. Cullen," the nurse beamed in his direction. Carlisle was wearing his white doctor's coat. His pale skin was much more pronounced under the fluorescent lights. He smiled when he saw me. But I could see concern in his eyes.

"Bella, how are you? Edward called and told me what happened. We were all so worried about you," Carlisle said as he rushed over to my bed. His voice was laced with concern.

"I'll be okay. No need to worry about me," I said, trying to play down my injuries.

"It would appear that this young lady may have hypothermia, Dr. Cullen." The nurse batted her eyelashes at him. Carlisle walked out of the room and return a few second later with five thick wool blankets. He laid them over me and tucked them under my feet.

"Thank you, Carole. Would you please go and get Bella an IV while I look over her injuries?"

"Of course, doctor," Nurse Carole replied. She left the room looking a little rejected.

Carlisle picked up my chart.

"Your temperature and pulse are below normal Bella. How long were you in the water?"

"I'm not sure; it's all a blur. I passed out after I pulled myself out of the water."

Carlisle pulled up the chair that was near the bed. He took his stethoscope from around his neck and began moving it around my chest. When he was done, he removed the stethoscope and looked at me with a stern face and furrowed his brow.

"Why would you go in the river like that, Bella? You could have died. Edward, Alice and Jasper would have never allowed Victoria to get you. There was no need to run." His voice was more authoritative than concerned.

That was it. His authoritative, condescending tone was more than I could handle right now. I felt weak and sore. My throat was killing me and I wanted to sleep.

"Carlisle, I wasn't running from Victoria. I was running from your family," I spat out in an acidic tone.

Carlisle's eyes grew wide while he processed my words and outraged tone.

This time when he spoke his voice was softer.

"Bella, why would you run from your family? We have all been working so hard to keep you safe and to help you heal from your father's loss."

Even though his voice was softer, I knew that I had to stand my ground because if I didn't, Carlisle would take me home with him.

"I know you have all been trying to keep me safe, but not once have even one of you asked me what I needed or wanted since you returned to Forks." My tone was just as venomous as before.

"We have been taking care of you, Bella. You are overcome with grief right now and are not the best judge of what you need." His powerful, authoritative tone had returned.

I felt like my fate to make my own decision was resting on the outcome of this argument. I had to make Carlisle listen to me or they would run my life for ever.

"You're wrong. I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I am a legal adult and I will not allow you to hold me prisoner against my will any longer, Carlisle. I used to look up to you, Carlisle. I used to feel like you were a second father to me. Now I see you as the warden to the prison that you and your family have created for me."

I could tell that my statement shocked him.

"That's ridiculous, Bella. We all missed you terribly when we were apart from you, and now we want to help you recover from all that you have suffered because of our absence."

"I have had enough of this Carlisle. I will not debate my freedom with you any longer. I'll not be returning to your house with you. I'll be going to stay at La Push until I'm feeling better and then I'll move back home to Charlie's house. If you and the rest of your family want to be a part of my life, then you better start making amends for your dominating behaviour!"

Carlisle suddenly looked sheepish. Something was wrong.

"What is it Carlisle?" I said in a no nonsense tone.

He cleared his voice and inhaled deeply.

"Bella," he began in a soft, apologetic tone. "Since you were living with us and weren't living at Charlie's house anymore, we decided that perhaps you could use the money to invest in your future."

"Wh…what exactly are you saying?"

"We thought it would benefit you more to sell Charlie's house. Don't worry. We put all of the furniture and belongings in the house into storage."

"YOU WHAT?" I was shaking with anger and disbelief.

"We didn't tell you because we thought the stress of handling the arrangements for the house would be too much of an added burden on you, since you were dealing with so much already."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How dare they!

"WHAT THE FUCK CARLISLE? That was my father's house! He left it to me in his will! You had no right! NO RIGHT!"

"We all assumed you would be staying with us indefinitely. After all, you are part of our family."

I laughed bitterly.

"Well, you know what happens when you assume things Carlisle," I snorted.

"Yes, quite," he replied. He shook his head as if he was clearing his thoughts.

"Listen Bella, I'm sorry. Perhaps we were a little rash in selling Charlie's house."

"A little! Ya think!"

"We thought it was for the best. Everything we have done has been for you. Bella, you really should come home with me. It's not safe for you to be around werewolves. You only have to look at the scar on your back for proof of that. I know you're angry with me right now, but you are like a daughter to me. I love you. Please come home."

I lifted my head up off the pillow and leaned over to Carlisle, so I was just a few inches from his face. I spoke carefully, in a cold and deadly serious tone.

"Unless I have completely lost my mind, I will never, ever set foot in your house again."

Just then, we were interrupted by Jake stomping loudly into the room.

"Hey, look what the cat dragged in," he said, sneering at Carlisle.

I laid my head back down on the pillow. I was feeling dizzy.

"Where the hell were you Jake?" I said, through gritted teeth. I could believe he left me to deal with Carlisle on my own.

"Hey, no need to get cranky with me. I went to the vending machine. When I brought you here the last time after you fell down, I saw they had Tahiti Treat soda. So I thought I'd go and get one. You know, they're hard to find. Then I came back to get you and you were gone, so I wandered around looking for you," he said matter of factly, shrugging his shoulder. He looked at my face and saw I was still pissed.

"Hey, don't worry. I bought you one too."

"Great," I replied sarcastically

Carlisle shook his head in disgust.

"Here we are," Nurse Carole sang, as she burst into the room. She came over to me and began to set up the IV.

"Bella, you will be okay. You need to be kept warm and dry and you need to rest. I would like to keep you in the hospital for observation," Carlisle said, as if our argument hadn't taken place.

"I will come and check on you again soon," he continued. Then he leaned in and whispered in my ear. "I am sorry. We all love you."

Then he left the room.

Jake walked over to the corner of the room where the table was and set the two cans of soda down. He picked up the remote control that was lying on the table. He walked back towards me and sat down in the chair beside me and stretched out his legs.

"Hey, I think there's a Jersey Shore marathon on tonight," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Great?" I said, as I pulled the blankets up to my eyes, thinking I would try to sleep through the hot mess that was my life.

I'm not sure if I will be updating this story next week. I'm moving and don't know if my internet will be connected by then.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Take care.


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